Chickens

The Ohio Village chickens are back!

The village chickens will have a coop behind the Livery Stable. Each morning the hens will be turned loose to roam Ohio Village. At closing time, they will be rounded up, fed, and returned safely to the coop. At the end of the summer, the chickens will be adopted-out.

The chickens are from the Meyer Hatchery in Polk, Ohio and are from two different “heirloom” breeds: Dominiques (pronounced Dominkers) and Silver-laced Wyandottes. “Heirloom,” or heritage, breeds are breeds of animals popular in America in the past, but today are listed as endangered. These breeds are endangered because modern farming has changed, and these breeds are no longer needed by large farmers. Come to Ohio Village to learn more about these breed and the history of chickens in America and Ohio.

A Little Chicken History For most of human history chickens have been a familiar part of every household. Almost anyone living in the country or small towns and villages kept at least a few chickens around for the eggs and the table. These backyard flocks were referred to as “dual-purpose” chickens since they supplied eggs and meat.

After the Civil War, America slowly moved away from a rural, agriculture based society, to a more urban one. Egg and meat production also moved out of the back yard and into large “factory” farms. More breeds of chickens were developed, some of which focused on creating the perfect “dual purpose” bird while others focused on just eggs or just meat.

Chicken Cam You can now virtually visit the chicks in the Ohio History Center, or watch them grow online at: